Ono Tsuba

[Henry Wilson]

I recently bought this tsuba from Grey Doffin and I have been researching it ever since.

 

Measurements are 7.7 x 7.5 x 0.65 cm. The front and back are slightly concave.

 

 

The most striking thing (apart from its massiveness) is the motif. It seems to be either double fish scales... (Note the negative and positive arrangement).

 

 

or a double three pointed spool. (Note the rounded ends and the curves).

 

 

Intuitively I would go for the itomaki kamon, but there is a chance it is a combination of the two kamon illustrated above.

 

If we look at the metal, the patina is a very silky black and is very dense and of good quality. The following pictures give a good indication of what I mean.

 

 

The hammer work is very fine and there is evidence (but not much) of tekkotsu and folding. I also think there is a chance that some of the tekkotsu on the rim has been hammered down and that some folds have been hammered closed.

 

 

Comparing it with published tsuba, the one below is from Sasano "Early Japanese Sword Guards. Sukashi Tsuba", the kind of surface work and black metal is similar to tsuba from Owari province.

 

 

The boldness of the design, the shape of the hitsuana and the massive feeling is what these days regarded as work of the Ono school. The iron does not seem to be that old and the tekkotsu is sparse so it would be appropriate to place it in the middle of the Edo period.

 

Any comments greatly appreciated and thanks for reading.

[Ford Hallam]

That's a very appealing piece, Henry. Very careful work too. Hard to be definite but it does seem to have the same sort of feel about as that ascribed to Ono work.

 

Funny you should reference that particular tsuba too. It just sold in NY at Bonhams. It was described as Tosa-Myochin and no mention of it being ex-Sasano. I wasn't apparently noticed by any serious collectors....but one Quite a bargain.

[christianmalterre]

Henry,

me here-i wouldn´t go such fast in attributing it to young in fact...

Just the reason the iron looks "fresh" (does not seem such old)does not allow you this conclusion here at all in fact.

We both-certainly -do know of very excellent Owari and equally Ono Tsuba-which look like " comming quite fresh ot of the form"-date but Momoyama if not earlier.

I think-it´s rather an question of preservation and importance-the former holders did have for such Tsuba-especially those very rare to find ones like Ono!

Keep care on it-it´s quite not that impressive-worth to study it-but of course!

(Sorry-i can not help you with that design here.-Do not understand it)

 

Christian

[Soshin]

Hi Henry,

 

Nice tsuba I almost purchased it in Florida last month. Its good to hear it went to a good home in the land of its birth. :D This idea of alternating negative and positive arrangement of elements I have seen in on other mon related tsuba. Here is a example from my collection that originally came out of the same old US collection as your tsuba. Notice the alternating negative and positive elements of the kuyo mon (九曜紋) design used by the Hosokawa family. I think my tsuba is from the Momoyama Period. The thickness of the plate is very small at about 2.0 mm at the rim. The overall size of the tsuba is 7.2 X 7.0 cm.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David Stiles

[cspage]

Henry, FYI, Fred Geyer has a similar tsuba on his website, if you're not already aware: http://www.swordsandtsuba.com/tsuba/assortedpg1.html

 

Colin

[edzo]

Hi Henry,

Don't know if this helps you identify the design. Have a 1885 blockprinted book with mons. I'm not sure what type of ref it is, I think??? for a seamstree? I include the cover title, perhaps you know what it is. Regards, ED